A senator, city council member and the leading Bubba of South Austin attended the first-ever meeting of the South Austin Culture Club, a celebration highlighted by heartfelt hospitality and home-cooked food.
Some 90 South Austin neighbors welcomed State Senator Gonzalo Barrientos and City Council Member Jackie Goodman to the May 25 gathering at Mercury Hall. Bubba-in-chief John Kelso signed copies of his book, while Ted Hall brought some good ol' South Austin blues to entertain the gathering.
Goodman called South Austin a region that stretches as far as northern Hays County. Barrientos said he will seek a $6,000-a-year pay raise for Texas schoolteachers during the legislative session that begins in January. Citing Congress Avenue with too much prostitution--both north and south of the river--Barrientos chided the city, saying it should work and consult more closely with the Legislature to better achieve it's goals.
But the pot luck food all but stole the spotlight at the culture club's first gathering. For $7, neighbors enjoyed just-carved turkey and ham, shrimp stuffing, chilled cole slaw, garden tomatoes and desserts worth sneaking out the front door.
"Look what I found," said Barrientos as he slipped from the room-long buffet with a plated slice of raspberry pie. Bouldin Creek neighbors Ellen Johnson and Gardner Selby avoid open warfare by taking the last two slices of pie, which was prepared from scratch.
"South Austin has more culture in a 16-mile swath than in all America," South Austin Culture Club organizer Speer declared. End of debate.
Stay tuned, as organizers are planning the next meeting in the fall.